The Lewis Family

The Lewises were a prominent and wealthy family in Gloucester County, Virginia. Fielding moved to Fredericksburg as a young man, in 1746, to learn the business of running his father's store, which he inherited in 1754 upon his father's death. As a planter and importer/exporter, Fielding became wealthy in his own right. He started construction of the new Lewis mansion (which would only be named Kenmore many years later) in 1769 and the family moved into the house in the fall of 1775.

Lewis Family Surname DNA Project (off-site link)
This non-profit project was launched in 2003 by the Lewis descendants with the goal of using DNA technology to establish relationships between various Lewis groups, particularly those that are thought to be unrelated. To learn more about this program, please visit the project website http://lewissurnamednaproject.com

* Please note - The George Washington Foundation has no business or other relationship with the Inn at Warner Hall.

The following list of publications may be of use in researching the Lewis family and their genealogy:

Felder, Paula S. Fielding Lewis and the Washington Family: A Chronicle of 18th Century Fredericksburg United States: The American History Co., 1998

Sorley, Merrow Egerton. Lewis of Warner Hall Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1979 (Note: This book provides thorough coverage of the entire Lewis family and their descendants. There is, however, a slight mix-up concerning the wives of Fielding Lewis, Jr. Sorley completely missed Fielding Jr's second marriage to Elizabeth Dade, the parents of whom we have yet to identify. There is a newspaper account of the marriage in one of the Alexandria, VA papers. Wesley Pippenger, in his "John Alexander, A Northern Neck Proprietor," (p 271-272) also mentions the second marriage. However, he is incorrect in naming Fielding Lewis, Jr. as the son of Catharine Washington and Fielding Lewis, rather than being the oldest son of Betty Washington Lewis. The only son by Catharine that lived was John.)

There is also a debate amongst Lewis relatives over who the immigrant ancestor of the family was. Sorley claims it was Robert Lewis. Subsequent evidence indicates it may have been John Lewis. Otherwise, the book does a very good job of tracking the Lewises' complicated genealogy.

Moses, Grace McLean The Welsh Lineage of John Lewis (1592-1657), Emigrant to Gloucester, Virginia Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1984, 1992. This book provides the view that John Lewis, who settled at Totopotomoys Creek in Gloucester County, Virginia on July l, 1653 was the immigrant ancestor of Fielding Lewis.